In 'King of Drag,' Wholesome Messages and Dick Jokes Go Hand In Hand

The new reality competition finally invites drag kings to the party

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Dick Von Dyke and King Molasses on King of Drag. Via Revry.

June saw the release of a new reality show featuring a cast of characters never before seen on television. King of Drag, an original series from the LGBTQ streaming service Revry, follows ten drag kings competing for the top prize, marking the first time a cast of exclusively drag kings has appeared on TV. Hosted by NYC comedy icon (and co-star of the wonderful HBO series Somebody Somewhere) Murray Hill, the show asks the contestants to compete in challenges – mostly revolving around fashion, comedy, and music – to impress an esteemed panel of judges. The permanent judges include drag queens Sasha Velour and Gottmik, drag kings Tenderoni and Wang Newton, and Revry co-founder and CEO Damian Pelliccionegot.

Though the series is the first of its kind, it’s not totally without precedent. Much of the show’s structure is modeled after RuPaul’s Drag Race, the wildly successful drag competition now on its 17th season. Many of the challenges are similar, testing the kings’ talent for lip-syncing and impressions, for example. Drag Race’s Werk Room transforms into the Man Cave, and drag queen humor is replaced with a constant barrage of dick jokes. One of the most obvious differences between the two shows is budget – King of Drag has a much smaller budget than Drag Race, a disparity that, frankly, is somewhat distracting in the first episode. (You quickly get used to the lower production values, which are also kind of endearing.)

These many homages beg the question – do drag kings need explaining? For Revry’s queer audience, perhaps not. But it’s interesting to see how the precedent set by Drag Race highlights the difference between the two sides of this art form. For one thing, drag kings are significantly less popular and less visible than drag queens, who have exploded in visibility thanks in large part to RuPaul. Because there are fewer opportunities for drag kings to perform, it seems likely that many of these kings have had less experience than some of the queens on Drag Race. King of Drag takes a smart approach to its contestants’ varying levels of experience, giving them lessons on skills like improv and makeup, and even teaching both contestants and viewers about the little-known history of drag kings.

The quality of the drag and the professionalism of the queens on Drag Race have grown significantly since the show’s first season, as the field has become more competitive. (You can see a similar trajectory on a show like Top Chef, where the food gets more refined and the contestants more accomplished as the seasons wear on.) If King of Drag is given the chance to expand, we might expect a similar leveling-up to occur. Still, as it stands, the kings on the series have a lot of talent, even as some of the challenges they’re asked to complete seem a tad too difficult.

In addition to visual and structural differences, the quality that most sets King of Drag apart from Drag Race is its tone. While Drag Race includes plenty of moments of vulnerability and introspection from the queens, King of Drag takes on an earnest tone from the get-go. The contestants spend much of the time speaking in their confessionals about how much drag has helped them with mental health issues, gender expression, and confidence. While the kings’ journeys to drag vary, the way the show has been cast means this earnestness is at the forefront of every episode.

The personalities of the contestants and the structure of the series also soften the cutthroat, competitive nature of reality TV. There’s little catfighting as on Drag Race, and despite a shady comment or two, the vibe in the Man Cave is one of bros supporting bros. The send-off for eliminated kings, which includes Murray Hill knighting the contestant as the other kings surround him in solidarity, only emphasizes this unapologetic sincerity.

It’s difficult to forget we’re living in the cursed year of 2025 while watching King of Drag. Indeed, the show’s heartfelt sentimentality also ties into its overt political message. Hill often jokes about the current political climate during his intros, and many of the queens reference the importance of trans and queer folks continuing to take up space and make their voices heard under the Trump administration. Alexander the Great arrives on the show dressed as a trans flag, while Tuna Melt speaks of spreading their message of trans joy. Charles Galin King, who introduces himself as a “Mexican-American Indigenous Wixárika with Ch'ol blood person,” tells the other kings, “Those people out in the world needs to see every single one of you.”

To that end, the wide variety of gender expressions and ages represented on the show is notable. Clown-trained Big D is 50 years old, and Buck Wylde is nearly that age. Both kings have kids and are married to men. Dick Von Dyke is a flamboyant lesbian from Minneapolis, while several of the other contestants are trans men or trans masc. The kings congregate out of drag in the second episode, sharing their civilian names and the pronouns they use in their day-to-day lives and highlighting the diversity of the cast even further.

As for the quality of the show and its watchability, King of Drag improves with every episode. It starts off a bit shaky, with some awkward moments and a general sense of confusion. But the second episode is much stronger than the first, and it gives the contestants more opportunities to show off their personalities and skills during the impression challenge. (King Molasses does an incredible Ira Glass impression, and Charles Galin King hilariously reads poetry as Nosferatu.)

There are times when the show’s intense sincerity and political messages become a bit jarring within its entertaining premise, such as in the horror-themed third episode, which is mostly about trauma and features performances depicting trans rights being taken away and the dangers of climate change. But overall, it’s nice to see how much the contestants care about what they do, and it makes sense why the show contextualizes drag kings in this way, especially considering their lack of visibility within popular culture.

Hill, who hosts the show but isn’t one of the judges, acts as a sort of big brother/mentor figure to the kings, and his humor keeps things light. The legendary drag queen Sasha Velour is the show’s biggest get, and she makes a great judge, offering criticisms and advice that help point contestants in the right direction. Guest judges, who include the likes of Bridget Everett, Cole Escola, Liv Hewson, and Lisa Rinna, give the series extra excitement.

The biggest obstacle King of Drag faces is getting people to watch it. Revry has little name recognition, and it's more difficult than it should be to stream the show. When I searched for King of Drag on my Apple TV, it took me to Pluto TV, which only had the sixth episode available to watch. The internet told me I should be able to watch it on Tubi, but I couldn’t find it there either. The easiest way to watch it appears to be on the Revry app itself, which should be available to download on most platforms.

Putting matters of literal accessibility aside, the question becomes about the show’s longevity and ability to grow. Season one is a good start, but most new reality shows improve as they go on. Will King of Drag be given the chance to reach anywhere near the level of popularity as Drag Race? In another context, the series’s overt political resonance might hamper its chances of becoming a hit, but King of Drag isn’t trying to appeal to Straight America, nor is its producer, Revry. Ultimately, the show’s success depends on whether it can find an audience willing to come along for the ride. If that sounds like you, why not give it a watch?

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